mom of 4, person of 1

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Duckie

Today was fine at work. Business was steady, no returns, no unpleasant customers. It was a good day. A good day that turned out to be a great day afterHE came in.

He had brown hair that sat perfectly messily on his head and big beautiful brown eyes. I didn’t see him walk into the store, but when he stepped up to the counter I thought to myself…”He’s pretty cute!” He looked me in the eye and pointed, asking, “Do you have any of these in the shape of a duck?” ( I work in a children’s toy store and he was wondering about the “tynees.®”- mini glass figures of animals that kids like to collect.)

And so I sighed and thought to myself…”Who knows? We have a million of those things.” But he seemed sweet and so I was gonna give it the ol’ college try.

A duck... I looked at the display… No ducks. So I made the (somewhat obligatory) comment…”I’ll check in the back.” Nope, no ducks. I was told to check under the counter. I found some tynees® that were still wrapped up tightly in bubble wrap. So tight that I needed scissors to open the little packages. Package 1. no ducks. Package 2. no ducks. Package number 3. Voila!!… What did I see staring up at me through all of the layers of plastic? A perfect tiny white duck with the cutest little orange beak! I found a duck! I couldn’t believe it. I was so happy to have found it for this handsome young guy. “Look!” I said to him.

That’s when it happened; he changed my day.

You see that hair and those eyes belonged to an 8 year old boy, and the gasp of surprise and wonderment that he let out when I showed him the duck was the best thing I had heard or seen all day. I had completely made his day. “Thank you so much!” he exclaimed. “Did you know that ducks are my favorite animal?” The smile on his face when he held it in his hands and showed his mom (who was patiently waiting beside him this whole time,) said more than words ever could. As I packed his duck in its own tiny box, especially made for tynees®) he talked incessantly about his favorite stuffed animal named “Duckie,” and how he couldn’t believe we actually had a duck… all the while beaming with happiness. I told him he was the best thing that happened to me today and that I wanted to write about him. He said sure. As he walked out the door, he must have said “Thank you so much!” at least 3 times.

We get frustrated with our lives, what we need, what we want, what we have, what other people have. I think moments like this are what really make us feel good. When we make other people happy. To see other people smile and feel happiness. It’s such a great thing. I started my search for this duck with a miserable attitude, only to be amazed that I could actually make someone’s day with this small act. The. Best. Feeling. I think everyone should try it in their lives as soon as possible. Try to get a real “ear to ear” smile out of someone…(sometimes its really easy.)

So thank you to the brown-haired, dark-eyed little boy who made me stop and think today…(and thank you to the people who make the billions of tiny glass animals…especially the duckies.)